Rep. Keith Ellison offered his virtual support today to Minnesota's nurses, who are threatening to strike as early as next week.

"I'm so proud of you, so proud of your courage and your willingness to do what must be done for our safety in our hospitals and in our places where patients are cared for," Ellison told the nurses in a YouTube video cut this morning.

Ellison is one of several DFLers who have stood with the union as they negotiate with area hospitals. A number of DFL gubernatorial candidates walked the picket line with nurses during the one-day strike earlier this month.

"The fact that you have put patient care up front and are willing to strike for it is something that every single person who's ever been sick, who may ever get sick -- that means all of us -- have to thank you for."

The Minneapolis congressman will be travelling on a congressional delegation to Africa during the July 4 holiday, and said he will send his support "no matter where I may be in this world" next week.

"So nurses, thank you. Thank you for caring about us. Thank you for having the dignity to care about yourselves. And thank you very much for laying it all on the line for the dignity of working people all over this world."